


The Ballad of Nuggins

by Anasilan



Series: Soul bonded Lifemates [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Drinking, F/M, Fluff, Love, Self-Indulgent, Singing, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Swearing, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:14:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23277673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anasilan/pseuds/Anasilan
Summary: Saoirse (Seer-sha) Trevelyan is lonely. All her new friends and her brother are finding their soulmates and she longs to find hers too. She does not expect to find him joining in her drunken singing around Haven.
Relationships: Blackwall/Female Inquisitor, Blackwall/Female Trevelyan, Cassandra Pentaghast/Cullen Rutherford, Female Adaar/Sera
Series: Soul bonded Lifemates [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1673734
Kudos: 13





	The Ballad of Nuggins

“Okay… so we finally have all the ram meat, we’ve talked to Hyndel and got his mother the potion, we’ve raided all the apostate caches and killed a lot of them… We’ve picked blood lotus, closed rifts, secured the horses, beaten up lyrium smugglers, recruited a healer and kicked red templar ass. Now, can I have a break? Like 20 minutes where shit doesn’t go wrong?” Saoirse Trevelyan put on her whiniest voice, just to see Cassandra shudder at the sound. Behind her she heard Sera and Varric making snarky comments and giggling. Cassandra turned around and glared at her.

“Seerie, we only have one more stop before heading back to Haven. We have to go question the warden up by the lake.” She slid her sword into its scabbard and slung her shield over her back.

“But…. Maaaaaaaaaaa! I don’t wanna play with the warden today.” Seerie stomped her foot and side smiled at Varric.

“The Herald was a pain in the arse. That’s how history will remember you, you know?” Cass responded acerbically, though there was a hint of a smile on her lips.

“Fine… fine. I’ll go play with the warden. I bet he’s crusty and old.”

“Everyone knows there ain’t no old wardens.” Sera commented.

“Okay, thank you Sera.” Seerie intoned. “He’s probably crusty and… stuff.”

“Stuff? Creative, Firefly. Really?” Varric smirked.

Pbbbbbbbbbbbbbbtt!! The raspberry she blew at them all echoed through the camp. The reality is that she was tired, soul deep tired and lonely. Yes, she has all the wonderful friends and chosen family she’d met in the Inquisition, but no one who clicked. It was hard to see Cullen and Cassandra together, not to mention Solas and Ravyn Lavellan, Sera and Herah Adaar and her own brother, Benjamin find and fall in love with Dorian in under a minute. Though, she had to admit, the permanent shell-shocked expression on Solas’s face was a constant source of amusement, and she was more than a bit nervous about the idea of instantly knowing everything about the other person.

Sighing, she thrust her staff into its holder on her back and started up the hill towards the lake and the last place this “Warden Blackwall” had been seen. Sera and Varric joked and teased each other, making Seerie grin when Sera tried to convince Varric that using a tiny glass jar attached to the end of an arrow could contain enough bees to sting that person. Cassandra just sighed and leant against a tree, running her fingers over her larger pouch pocket. Seerie knew for a fact that there was a letter in there from Cullen and that Cass was impatient to get somewhere private to read it. Shaking her head, trying to push down the loneliness that started to overwhelm her, she picked up the pace and smiled at Cass as she strode by.

“I’ll try and hurry through this Cass. Then we can be on our way back to Haven.” Cass kept pace with her, a slight blush on her cheeks.

“Am I really that obvious?” Seerie smiled and looked down at the pocket.

“Yes. But it’s okay. He’s just as obvious as you. It’s wonderful to see.” She looked away and hoped that her friend wouldn’t notice the strain around her eyes.

“It’ll happen for you one day, Seerie. It’ll come out of nowhere. I knew Cullen for years… but we’d never touched. Then, I touched his hand after he’d been ill, and that was it.” Cassandra’s voice held a smile.

“So… do you suggest I go around Haven and touch everyone?” Seerie snarked softly, a small grin on her face.

“Well… maybe not going that far…” Cassandra began. Seerie looked over her shoulder and looked at Varric.

“Oi… Child of the Stone!” She did a horrible imitation of Solas’s voice. “C’mere.”

“Don’t do that, Firefly. You suck at impressions. That was just….” He pondered for a moment.

“Sad?” Sera supplied.

“Good enough. That was just sad.” Varric finished.

“Well, just for that, I am not going to touch you… like ever. So, if we were meant to be, blessed by the maker to be soul mates, you’ll never know.”

“Aww, Firefly. I didn’t know you cared.” He smirked.

“I don’t, you horrid little dwarf.” She poked her tongue out at him, and continued her march up the hill, ignoring his laughter. “Go kiss Bianca for a bit… and I hope you get splinters.”

“She loves me too much to do that, your worship!” He cackled, and muttered to his crossbow, reaching over his back to pat it.

“Bah!” Seerie threw her hands over her head and moved into the trees, keeping an eye out for any stray bandits or Red Templars roaming the area.

They walked on for a few more minutes, before she called back to Cass.

“He can’t have been here long. We walked through this place what… three weeks ago? And there was no one but one of those huge, spiky templars in that old fishing hut. I wouldn’t have taken that bottle of wine or the mosaic piece if someone actually lived here.”

Varric coughed. “Or riffled through the chest and taken that gold?”

“Yes, well… it went to a good cause.”

“Was it that bottle of wine you shared with Dorian and Ben, or buy us all around at the Tavern?” He asked.

“Actually, she used it to pay off a bet she’d had with Leliana. Who insisted that Solas would lose his heart to Rayvn. Seerie said he loved the stick he has stuck up his arse, way more than he’d appreciate a soulmate.” Cassandra laughed at Seerie’s blush. Varric and Sera just cackled.

“Apparently, he gets to keep his arse stick AND follow Ravyn around like a lost puppy. Who knew?” She sassed back at them.

“Here she is, her worship… Herald of Andraste, youngest child and only daughter to Bann Trevelyan of Ostwick, Saoirse Roslyn Trevelyan, foulest mouthed woman this side of the Frostbacks.” Varric proclaimed.

“Bah… Sera, Herah and Ravyn have me beat there, but thanks for the compliment. I’m still not touching you.” She giggled at his melodramatic whine. Then hand signalled for a halt when she heard a raised voice. Crouching she crept to the edge of the trees and looked out across the lake, where a helmeted man was marching back and forth in front of three very woe begotten locals. Varric snuck up next to her and watched for a moment.

“Ya think that’s our warden? His armour a bit… small.” Seerie nodded and returned to watching the man as he lectured the people standing in front of him.

“He has a commanding presence, but… I’d say there was something more…. Military than Wardenish about him? Not that I’ve met many wardens mind you.”

“Doesn’t look or act like any other warden I’ve met. Carver Hawke and Stroud would never have been caught dead in an outfit like that.” Varric noted.

“Well, we can’t pass judgement, now can we? After all, anyone who doesn’t know me, thinks I’m a stuck up trophy daughter to an obscure Bann in the Free Marches. When in reality I’m just a bitch.”

“True. A bitch who happens to be the daughter of an obscure Bann in the Free Marches.”

“Thanks, Varric. I feel your love.”

“You know it, Firefly!” They smirked at each other and then moved forward as a group, approaching the men near the fishing hut.

“Blackwall? Warden Blackwall?” Seerie broke in when he paused in his lecture.

He turned and approached her forcefully, his manner and tone suspicious.

“You’re not – How do you know my name? Who sent…” He gave a sudden cry and lifted his shield in time to catch the arrow that had aimed straight for her head. Within moments, all of them were involved in a short and exceptionally nasty fight with some local bandits, Seerie twirling her staff alternating barriers and slinging fireballs. Despite the fighting, she was impressed with Blackwall’s form and skill as he engaged in the battle, throwing his shield at an opponent before yanking a massive two-handed sword from his back and running them through, she was, fascinated by him. The way he walked and talked, the way he moved when in combat, and she had to admit, she quite liked the fact that he was older than her.

Yep… older men rocked her world, what could she say?

She watched him examine the body closest to him, if you could call it that. The man was missing his head thanks to Cassandra and it looked like both Varric and Sera had got him with arrows, not to mention the charring on his shirt and breeches thanks to her magic. She saw him grin at the overkill on the corpse, before he shook his head, muttering “Sorry bastards!” as he stood.

Since he wasn’t ready to acknowledge them as yet, Seerie decided to study him as he lectured the locals again. He had wide shoulders and chest and was thicker around the waist that most warriors she knew. Cocking her head to the side, she decided he had a nicely shaped arse and those thighs and arms quite literally made her drool. Dark brown hair, silver at the temples and a strangely compelling beard, also shot with silver. Full lips, sharp cheek bones and beautiful steel blue eyes… that were looking directly at her.

Oh.

Oops.

He half smiled at her, a crooking up of one side of his mouth, and a raise of the opposite eyebrow.

“See anything you like?” He flirted at her. An instant blush flashed over her cheeks and down her neck. Behind her she heard Sera giggling and Varric muttering under his breath, before he shoved a square of fabric into her semi clenched hand.

“Here ya go, Seerie. For the drool on your chin.” He stated helpfully.

“Thanks… Varric.” She hissed through her teeth. Taking a deep breath, she turned on her most charming smile. The one that had guaranteed she had gotten whatever she had wanted from her parents and older brothers, Ben included, though her twin tried to deny that. The man before her spoke first.

“You’re no farmer. Why’d you know my name? Who are you?” He got straight to the point.

“I know your name because I am an agent of the Inquisition.” Seerie stated, seeing no point in saying that she was being called the Herald of Andraste, especially when she saw the title as being a huge crock of foul-smelling shite. “I’m investigating whether the disappearance of wardens has anything to do with the murder of the Divine.” She loved being forthright with people, it cut through unnecessary bullshit. This attitude made Josephine despair of her.

“Maker’s balls! The wardens and the Divine? That can’t… no. You’re asking, so you don’t really know.” He paused, in his speech, though not his pacing as he continued to soliloquise a little about the sanctity of the wardens. Seerie listened, one eyebrow raised, and cast a half look at Varric, sensing there was more to the man in front of her, and a kernel of doubt entered her mind. He was talking the talk alright, but it almost seemed like he was trying to convince himself more than her.

“I’m not here to accuse, I’m just looking for information.” She stated. “I’ve only found you. Where are the rest?”

“I haven’t seen any wardens for months. I travel alone, recruiting. Not much interest because the archdemon is a decade dead, and no need to conscript because there is no blight coming.” He rambled on for a few more moments and ended with “Grey Wardens can inspire, make you better than you think you are.” Seerie applauded his attitude, but it didn’t change her opinion that he seemed like he was trying to remind himself of these facts, rather than showing her. It was… interesting. HE was interesting. She liked interesting things.

“Well… thank you, Warden Blackwall. But now where does that leave us?” She gives him a half smile, and turns towards her companions, disappointed with the lack of information she had gathered. She lifted her right hand and made a series of small and discrete signs to Varric. Given Ben’s deafness, she, her parents and siblings had all learnt to communicate with him through hand signs, and now she was teaching them to the inner circle, at first it had been so Ben could communicate with the others, and later it had become useful when wanting to keep discussions away from listening ears. She said to Varric:

“He’s lying about something.”

Varric nodded in response but smiled charmingly at the seemingly stunned man behind her.

“Inquisition… agent, did you say?” She paused and looked over her shoulder at him, smiling slightly. “Hold a moment.” She turned to fully face him. “The Divine is dead, and the sky is torn. Events like these, thinking we are absent is almost as bad as thinking we are involved. If you are trying to put things right, maybe you need a warden. Maybe you need me.”

“The inquisition needs all the support it can get, but what can one grey warden do?” She smirked at him. He smiled at her.

“Save the fucking world if pressed!” He laughed. “Look, maybe fighting demons that are falling from the sky is not something that I am practised at but show me someone who is.” Seerie looked at him thoughtfully. There was something big he was hiding, but she could tell he was sincere.

“Warden Blackwall, the Inquisition accepts your offer.” She smiled magnanimously at him, secretly pleased she’d be able to watch him more and maybe figure out what was going on with him.

“Good to hear. We both need to know what’s going on, and perhaps I’ve been keeping to myself for too long. This warden walks with the inquisition.” He smiled at her again.

“Well yay for us, handsome. We’ll be at the Inquisition camp down the hill from us. We leave for Haven in an hour. Cass needs to bonk Cullen before she drives us all mad.” Saoirse gave him a cheeky grin and turned, sticking her tongue out at Cass as she sauntered by, deliberately exaggerating the swing of her hips.

“Saoirse Trevelyan!” Cassandra hissed as she marched to catch up to the snickering Herald. “What would Ben say if he heard you say that?!”

“Nothing… he’d say absolutely nothing. He’s deaf, Cass… or hadn’t you noticed?” She smirked. Cassandra growled deep in her throat.

“Wow Cass, we’d better hurry… you need to get laid, like yesterday. Sera, go tell Mr. Tall, Dark and Bearded we are leaving in 30 minutes. The seeker needs to get her cork popped.” Cass yelled in rage and charged at her, and Seerie giggled in glee and ran off down the hill. Varric sauntered down after them and commented to no one in particular.

“Here lies Saoirse Trevelyan, Herald of Andraste. Died after pissing The Seeker off about orgasms. She will rest in pieces.”

\------

Haven was dead. Not literally. Just social life dead. Cass wasn’t speaking to her – well she assumed she wasn’t, she actually hadn’t seen much of the Seeker after their return and Cullen’s enthusiastic greeting of her. Varric was sitting around the campfire in front of his tent telling tall stories to recruits and greasing up Bianca… again. She (and probably every else in Haven) could hear noises coming out of the cabin her brother and Dorian shared, so there was no way in Thedas she was going to anywhere near there now or in the close future. Vivienne was not her number one choice in company, in fact if she called her darling one more time, she’d punch her into next week. Supercilious twat. Sera was making goo-goo eyes at one of the Dwarf recruits and to be honest, the smell coming out of Flissa’s Tavern was making her feel ill.

In the distance she heard singing and laughter and a smile covered her face. The Chargers must have arrived whilst she was in the war room this afternoon. They looked like good folks and she was sure they’d have a spot for her to join them. She was curious about the Iron Bull anyway, and she had always though that the drunk man or Qunari in this case, was more honest than the sober one. She turned on her heel and all but skipped through the front gates, grinning when she saw the mercenary group gathered around the fire laughing, singing and talking loudly.

This was definitely more like it. She walked towards them.

“Ho the camp!” She announced cheerfully!

“Herald! What are you doing skulking around in the dark?!” Krem yelled at her.

“Skulking! I will have you know that I slink, not skulk.”

“Is there a difference?”

“Yes… slinking is sexier.” Krem laughed.

“Come and join us. That way you can stay warm and the Chief can spy on you at his convenience.”

“What a charming offer. Maybe I should give him the key to my underwear drawer too, you know us evil mages keep the good things in there.”

Iron Bull let out a huge belly laugh and moved over on the log he was sitting on, patting it in invitation.

“I’ll keep that in mind, Boss. I am dreadfully curious now. What do you keep in your knicker draw?” Seerie accepted the flagon from Krem and took a deep sip and then threw back her head and exhaled sharply.

“Mmm! Chasind Sack Mead. That hits the spot!” She took another sip. “Well… underwear, socks, a few bars of chocolate I stole of Josie, Solas’s beanie and my dragon bone dildo. What do you keep in yours?” She sipped her mead and looked up at Bull, a cheeky grin on her face. Everyone around the fire had gone quiet, until someone in the back started to giggle.

“He keeps ropes, whips and ball gags in his, oh and pretty pink things, but don’t tell anyone else about those. It’ll ruin his manly reputation.” Krem laughed when Bull reached over and shoved him off his log perch.

“Ball gags huh? No room left for your underwear I suppose.” She asked, still giggling. Bull leaned over and whispered in her ear.

“I don’t wear em, Boss.” Seerie blushed bright red for a moment, then burst into laughter.

“Like to feel the breeze between your knees huh? Can’t blame you there.” She smiled up at him and he grinned back and patted her on the back.

“I was just telling the boys about the time I was in an Orlesian brothel. Do you want to hear the story?”

“Of course, I do! Please, good Bull. Continue with story time!” She drew her legs up under her on the log and focussed entirely on the story, a happy little shiver running down her spine. She had found her people.

\------

Three hours later, she was happily buzzed and wandering down near the Smithy, contemplating whether to hide in the bushes to pee or SLINK through the gates back to her cabin and the privy nearby. Instead, she broke out into song, sipping from her mug of mead as she walked.

”Oh! The best of us ran when the dreadnought was sighted!

Nuggins, Nuggins! For he heard the call.

Tripped nine Qunari, and that's why he's knighted!

Nuggins, Nuggins! As brave as he's small!

  
Oh! A shore full of pirates, the worst set to happen.

Nuggins, Nuggins! His heart pure and true.

Tripped him an admiral, now he's our captain!

Nuggins, Nuggins! For me and for you!”

She grinned; this was her favourite song. Her mother hated it. It wasn’t ladylike enough apparently.

“Pft! She has no say in what I listen to anymore.”  
  


From the darkness of the Smithy, a smooth baritone took up the song:

“Oh! The blight was upon us, and we found no pardon.

Nuggins, Nuggins! Now he'll make a stand!

Tripped up the darkspawn, and now he's a Warden!

Nuggins, Nuggins! For all in the land!”

She laughed and turned to face the mystery voice and took up the last stanza, the voice joining with her.

“Oh! Paraded through Kirkwall as hero and winner!

Nuggins, Nuggins! Stubborn and vicious!

Tripped up a viscount, now he's for dinner!

Nuggins, Nuggins! Of course, he's delicious!”

They stood there and grinned at each other.

“Of course, you’d know the warden lines, Blackwall.”

“I’d hardly be a good warden, if I didn’t, now would I?” He stepped from the shadows and smiled widely at her. She walked carefully towards him, aware that she was tipsy and for some reason she still wanted to make a good impression on him. She abruptly held out her mostly full mug of mead.

“Would you like some? The Chargers have the good stuff.” He looked at her a moment, then reached out and took the mug from her and swallowed some down. He too threw back his head and breathed out in satisfaction into the cool night air.

“Now that hits the spot!” She took the mug back, and finished it off, wiping her mouth off.

“Well! That’s that then! C’mon, Blackwall we need more mead and we need to teach the Charger’s the Ballard of Nuggins!” She reached forward with her right hand and grabbed his.

Instantly colours blasted behind her eyes, scenes from Blackwall’s life played like vignettes in her brain… his parents, his sister, a hanging dog, winning the grand tourney, fighting for Orlais in the civil war, taking money from a masked Orlesian fop and then leading his men to attack a carriage and killing the family within. Being scared and running, meeting up with a Grey Warden and then watching him die in a fight against darkspawn, then trying to help people, trying to atone for his past mistakes. A name. Thom Rainier.

She gasped and pulled her hand away from his, watching as a swirling blue griffin formed on the palm of her hand and she looked up at him dumbfounded.

“My… my lady…” Thom’s face was white as the snow around them. “I…”

She held up one finger for a moment, and twisted around, becoming violent sick on the pathway behind her, and dropped the mead mug into the snow at her feet. She turned around and wiped her mouth on her sleeve.

“Now that’s over.” She muttered. “And you now definitely see that I am not a dainty lady. I think we have somethings to talk about… don’t we Thom?” She raised an imperious eyebrow at him.

“Ah… yes?” He said, nervously. She grabbed his hand again and started walking back towards the town, dragging the overwhelmed NOT warden behind her. There was catcalls and whistles from the Charger camp, and Seerie cheerly flew the bird at all of them. They all cackled and reciprocated.

“Have a good night, Boss!” Bull shouted. “Don’t forget to show him your underwear drawer!” Then he hooted with laughter and fell backwards off his log. Seerie smirked and trudged up the stairs and into the cabin next to her brothers, which was now blessedly silent. At least for now. For a silent man, he could certainly make enough noise!

She pulled Thom through the door and all but shoved him into the room, locking the door behind him. Letting go of his hand, she waved it at the bed, indicating that he should sit, and went to the wash table, rinsing her mouth out with the teeth cleaning potion Dorian had made for her. Then she turned, and leant against the table, crossed her arms. He was sitting on her bed, drumming his fingers on his knees and looking at her like she was going to kill him dead.

“Oh, stop it. I’m not going to set your hair on fire.” She smirked at him. “We are going to come to an understanding however.” He swallowed and nodded.

“You aren’t a warden, and that’s fine. Lying sucks though and you won’t do it again. A good relationship doesn’t work on a bed of lies.” She stood up straight and began pacing.

“I… my lady… I am not worthy of you.” He muttered looking down at his hands as they continued to drum his fingers.”

“Yes, you are, Thom.” She came and knelt in front of him and took his hands in hers. “We’ve all done things that we are not proud of. You killed a family for money, but you’ve spent the years since then atoning for that mistake and you’ll continue to until the day you die.”

He opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it, just nodding his head.

“You will come clean to Leliana, give her names and details of those who fought with you and she will see if she can give those men aid or assistance. You will stay with me, fight with me, for me until we both grow old and die.” She turned his right palm over and traced the griffin mark on his palm.

“These marks mean that we are fated to be together. That we belong to each other. I can feel your inner strength and character. It shone like a beacon in your memories. We will work things out.”

“I don’t know what to say.” He took his free hand and reached out to touch the black curls resting against her forehead. “I never thought I would get this.” He paused and ghosted his fingers down her cheek.

“I don’t know how to be with you as Thom Rainier. I don’t know how to be with anyone as Thom Rainier.” She pressed her cheek into his hand and purred lightly at the tingle the touch of his fingers on her skin caused.

“We’ll work it out…” She pulled him to his feet as she rose and stepped into the shelter of his arms.

“Together.” He finished, lowering his head to her and gently capturing her lips with his.

“Yes… together.” Her eyes closed and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer, enjoying the feel of him against her body and secure in the knowledge that she was no longer alone.


End file.
